1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the treatment of biological waste, and the like, and particularly to a system which circulates surface air and waste into the body of manure storage for removing odors and toxic and noxious gases therefrom in order to make handling of the manure a more pleasant task.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are two types of organisms or bacteria present in fresh manure, aerobic organisms and anaerobic organisms. The anaerobic organisms grow in manure that has little or no oxygen in it. This is the type of environment that infectious and disease bearing bacteria grow, as well as forming a breeding ground for flies, mosquitoes, and the like. The aerobic organisms grow in abundance when oxygen is present, the type of bacteria which grows being a function of whatever environment is present. Accordingly, it has been proposed to pump oxygen in quantity into the manure, such plentiful oxygen causing the aerobic organisms to grow in abundance. When these organisms are in great enough numbers, they will consume and digest the organic material to the point of removing the odors and toxic and noxious gases from the material, making the handling of the manure a more pleasant task.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,457, issued Oct. 8, 1974, to G. E. Wilson, discloses, especially in FIGS. 9 through 12 thereof, a method and apparatus for treating animal waste by pumping air through liquid containing waste in order to cause an oxygen transfer that will raise the dissolved oxygen content of the waste while circulating diluting water in a storage area of the material being treated.
Other prior U.S. patents pertinent hereto are U.S. Pat. Nos. 229,955, issued July 13, 1880; 1,937,434, issued Nov.28, 1933; 2,987,186, issued June 6, 1961; 3,882,017, issued May 6, 1975; and 3,926,808, issued Dec. 16, 1975.